BBC WEATHER has warned a series of brutal weather systems will approach the UK this week and unleash severe gales, heavy rain and snow across the nation.

Snow and strong winds struck much of the country over the weekend and the brutal weather system is set to continue throughout this week, BBC Weather has forecast. BBC Weather meteorologist Matt Taylor said despite being a chilly and frosty start it will be a pleasant morning on Monday before the weather makes a sudden U-turn into the evening. Mr Taylor said: “We have got a ridge of high pressure building in across the country following on from yesterday’s area of low pressure ahead of quite a stormy low set to push in through tonight and into tomorrow.

“But with that ridge of high pressure, northwest winds, temperatures a few degrees above freezing and as you can see from the radar chart we still have some showers in at the moment.

“Western Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, western England, in particular – a mixture of rain, sleet and snow around. But they are becoming fewer in number already and will continue to fade through this morning’s rush hour and into the afternoon.”

But the BBC forecaster warned the pleasant weather will “take a turn” through the evening, adding: “Quite quickly tonight things take a turn for the wetter and windier – some very heavy rain for a time in Scotland and Northern Ireland coming to sit across northwest England, north and west Wales later in the night.

“We will see widespread gales develop and could see winds touch 60 or 70mph for a time across the north and west of Scotland.